Since 2017, the number of arrivals and overnight stays has continued to increase to the delight of private sector operators. To cope with the growing influx of foreign and domestic tourists whose arrivals and overnight stays increased by around 6% in 2019, they invested 7 billion dirhams which created 3,500 jobs and 8,000 additional beds. This brought Morocco’s litter capacity to nearly 270,000 beds. This capacity will be further strengthened: 7 new projects have been launched for an investment of 8.3 billion DH.
Each year, the tourist attractiveness of Morocco is confirmed with several openings of airlines which attract more foreign visitors to cities which showgood performance in terms of occupancy rate but which nevertheless faces insufficient hotel capacity during peak periods.
The figures recently published by the House of Representatives on the discussion of the 2020 sectoral budget of the Ministry of Tourism and Air Transport provide details on the investments made in 2019 by operators to adapt to changes in tourism activity.
We learn that during the first 10 months of 2019, arrivals of foreign tourists for stay (TES) and MRE increased, compared to the same period of 2018, by 6.4% (i.e. a total of 9.3 million) and that overnight stays experienced the same dynamic with growth of 5.3% (17 million).
In order to support this quantitative development, private operators have agreed to 7 billion dirhams in investments to build new hotel units. No precise indication was given as to the cities of establishment. These were opened in 2019.
This helped generate 3,500 jobs and 8,000 additional beds, which increased Morocco’s litter capacity from just over 260,000 beds in 2018 to nearly 270,000 beds in 2019.
49% of these new beds are in establishments classified 4 and 5 stars, 21% in 1,2, and 3 star establishments and 30% in guest houses and apart-hotels.
A development deemed sufficient by an expert who specifies, however, that the current capacity will need to be further strengthened, knowing that the construction of a new hotel unit takes 2 to 3 years.
The private sector seems aware of this opportunity. In addition to the 2019 openings, it has also signed 7 agreements with international brands to build new hotel establishments which should be ready in 2021 or 2022 and which will be located in cities which have not been specified.
The total forecast investment is 8.33 billion dirhams in 7 hotel projects. In detail, Moroccans would have to pay 5.453 billion dirhams. For their part, Emirati investors will mobilize 2.877 billion dirhams for hotel investments in the city of Rabat alone.
According to the parliamentary debate, the development of air connections in 2019 made it possible to create 500,000 new air seats for a total of 4 million seats.
In 2020, the Ministry of Tourism and Air Transport will operate with a budget of 828 million dirhams, of which 725 million dirhams will be devoted to investments and 102 million to operations.
source: medias24.com
